Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to apparatus and methods for detecting and aligning a tool for installation on a rig. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for aligning a tool and a top drive to install the tool on the top drive.
Description of the Related Art
During a well operation, various tools are used with a top drive. First, a wellbore is formed to access hydrocarbon-bearing formations (e.g., crude oil and/or natural gas) or for geothermal power generation by drilling. Drilling is accomplished by utilizing a drill bit that is mounted on the end of a drill string. To drill within the wellbore to a predetermined depth, the drill string is connected to a top drive on a surface rig by a drill tool and rotated by the top drive. After drilling to a predetermined depth, the drill tool, drill string and drill bit are removed from the top drive. A casing tool is then attached to the top drive to lower a section of casing into the wellbore. An annulus is thus formed between the string of casing and the formation. The casing string may then be hung from the wellhead. The casing tool may then be replaced by a cement tool to conduct a cementing operation to fill the annulus with cement. The casing string is cemented into the wellbore by circulating cement into the annulus defined between the outer wall of the casing and the borehole. The combination of cement and casing strengthens the wellbore and facilitates the isolation of certain areas of the formation behind the casing for the production of hydrocarbons.
The tool exchange during drilling, casing, and cementing modes is usually performed manually. For example, a tool is first transported to the top drive by a manually controlled lift, such as a crane or the likes, and then aligned with and installed into the top drive manually. However, manual work at heights on the rig is time consuming and dangerous.
Therefore, there is a need for apparatus and methods for aligning a tool and a top drive to enable automated tool exchange during a well operation.